Company finds niche in fixing fractured mobile devices

By John Howell
Posted 2/11/16

Ami Connor held up what is often the worst nightmare for those who own a cell phone or tablet – a crazed screen that looks like it had just gone through a test car crash.

The fact is far many …

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Company finds niche in fixing fractured mobile devices

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Ami Connor held up what is often the worst nightmare for those who own a cell phone or tablet – a crazed screen that looks like it had just gone through a test car crash.

The fact is far many more screens end up cracked because they have been dropped, sat on or inadvertently banged than those in car accidents, which is a good and a bad thing.

The bad thing is often a lifeline to family, friends and business is suddenly illegible if it even continues to work.

Connor and Greg Barbon are the backbone to a new business that aims to make that period of inconvenience as short as possible.

On Feb. 2 Mayor Scott Avedisian, members of the city’s department of economic development and Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce joined the staff and owners for a ribbon cutting at The Mobile Fix at 1638 Warwick Ave.

Harris Alkins, Bruce Boyarsky and David Sarazen teamed up to start the company.

Alkins said the three of them could easily see the demand to repair today’s galaxy of mobile devices at reasonable rates. But it wasn’t until they connected with Barbon that the dream became a reality.

“We didn’t have the background in it,” Alkins said.

On the other hand, Barbon, who has a passion for fixing things, was already repairing his friends’ devices. With a background in electronics and fascicle with computers and programming, he was the perfect fit.

Even better, during the days Radio Shack was still a viable entity, Barbon approached the company with a proposal for a “shop within a shop.” There was the sales shop and the repair shop. Radio Shack liked the idea and Barbon operated a repair shop from one of their South County stores. He got to know the business, realizing “not a lot [of companies] do it at a high level and at a reasonable price.”

He believes that is possible. Barbon said Mobile Fix uses only quality replacement parts and therefore offers a lifetime guarantee on their work. Others, he notes, offer limited warranties, as that’s the life of the replacement parts.

“This is one business where we don’t want repeat customers,” Connors said with a laugh.

While walk-in customers are an important part of the business, Mobile Fix sees the future of the business in company and municipal contracts. The company recently won a contract with the Bristol-Warren School Department and is talking with companies that depend heavily on mobile devices.

“These things are getting beat up all the time,” he said.

Mobile Fix is also offering mobile service for those who can’t get to the store near Hoxsie Four Corners – mobile service for mobile devices.

Barbon reasons that the service is more reasonably priced than an insurance program that can run from $7 to $14 a month. Most plans, he said, have a deductible that pushes the cost beyond Mobile Fix rates that range between $59 and $99 for most mobile devices. Repairs of more sophisticated devices such as the iPad Air 2 with liquid crystal display, which can require two hours or more to repair, can run nearly $300. Prices are listed on the website www.themobilefix.com or can be obtained by phone, 213-0500.

Presently, the company is repairing 30 to 40 devices a day and, given the ubiquity of mobile devices and the fact they keep dropping from our hands, Mobile Fix is on to something. And if you’re lucky you’ll get to meet Cooper, the Bernese mountain dog that provides company to Greg and Ami.

Store hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  They are closed on Sundays.

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